Typically, memory sharing between processors is accomplished by way of a semaphore—a classic method for restricting access to shared memory in a multi-processing environment. Semaphores are often managed by an API (Application Programming Interface) in the form of library calls. For real-time applications (such as streaming video) such calls may take too long and thereby impact the performance of the application in such a way that is noticeable to an end user.
A need therefore arises to improve the performance of shared memory applications in a multiprocessor system.